Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-24
Written for THE EVENING SrAa.
SOME RECOLLECTIONs OF MR. LIN.
COIN
Hls Wiz ana Wisdou.

sfAcLEs-A WRITE HoUsE NrRRvKw-REFusEs A
REQUEST FROM Hn slsTsR-IN-LAw-LINcolN At TIE
soLDIRRS HOME.
As it In order TO recall personal rsoollections Of
the VII and wisdom OF NJ. Lincoln, venture TO
oner you some OF my own experiences in that way.
IL was my privilege, during his presidency, to have
had several interviews with Mr.. Lincoln; and as
they were not merely formal they all possessed Pc
cuhar interest, as tending 70 bring out some char
actenstic. OF all public men 1t mas been my for
tune to encounter he was the least pretentious
the most frank, cordial, and approachable.
begin by relating the circumstances attending
my last interview with him. It was on the 10th
day ofOctober, 1854. ! was at the time connected
with the Daily Chronicle of this city, and In the
absence or Col Forney, was requested to call on
the president to hear his views In regard to the
condition OF affairs In Tennessee. II Will be re-
mem0ered that Andrew johnson was military gov
efnor OF that State that he and his lifelong poltI
cal opponent, VIM. g. Brownlow, had come to
terms on the basis OF a common hatred OF seces-
sion, and that they had brought together
at Nashville. early In September Of that year,
psrtizan, and partly as they Claimed legal with
tue object IN view OF reforming or reOganfzng the
state government by the election OF county ON
with laws cannot be maintained County govern fs
ments Were indispensable, and the Union leaders
the preservation OF domestic peace and order
The forms Of an election were gone through in
many counties the case OF others delegates were
admitted from their known character as Unionist
ana representative men. Many delegates were In
tercepted or prevented from attending by an mop
the convention met, and proceeded 70 business
After providing for the reorganization OF the coun
ties by an ordinance which embraced most strin-
gent and searching test oath for voters they pro-
ceeded TO nominate Mr.. Lincoln for reelection to
tne presidency, with Gov. johnson for vice presi-
dent, and to put forth an electoral ticket. They
m
Order an election, and appoint the registrars OF
, voosrs anc superlntendents OF the polls. He
proclamation defined the qualifications OF voters
as follows: '.An citizens and soldiers being free
Wnite men twentyone years Of age, citizens Of the
united states, ana for six months prior to the
election, citizens Of the state Of Tennessee
WIN, VINO have have qualined themselves by registra.
in the foregoing resolution shall be entitled to
vote" The oath, besides the usual declarations in
support OF the Constitution and laws OF the United
states, required Remuneration Of all sympathy
with the so-called Confederate States: an ardent
desire lor the suppression OF the rebeilion sincere
ngn az tne success OF the Union arms; thor
with rebels In arms, and hearty support OF the
constitution and all laws and prOclamations made
sistance in carrying out all measures OF Govern.
in tnst may be adopted for the attainment OF
The friends Of Gen. Mcclellan sent a delegation
10 washington 10 appeal to the President TO
annul These proceedings and especially the regu.
w a5Ch PrescIlong the qualifications OF voters,
laws made In pursuance OF the Constitution IL
win be noticed that the test oath not merely
required voters TO swear to their allegiance
out 10 their sentiments and wishes, which though
UNUSUAL, was doubtless Justifiable under the cir
c9inStances. But the requirements OF a pledge in
advance mat they would heartily approve all
measures or Government cannot be Justified
However, this was delicate question for gentle
aene o. HSpsyeS Sec Loyalty to moot and they let
10 require man TO swear that he is fond OF crow
Is 700 nard IL was al this stage OF the proceed
the committee, that saw him. II was his custom
10 receive people who called on private business
10 the afternoon. went at that hour. Twas told
Ny Cno secretary that number OF persons were
waiting Tor an audience, and that ] had better
call again. However, as l had been sent for, /
waiting their turns to speak with the President.
TOOK seat In the rear intending to be the last 10
90 forward. He dispatched them rapidly, but
heard 10y the party addressed. This i recognized
as marx OF high breeding, though proceeding
.ro,n ra-spntter, FOR nothing is more painful 10
modest person. when asking a favor, than TO
nave his business proclaimed as from the house
top.
SOMETHING LINCOLN COULD NOT DO
had observed lady In deep mourning, sitting
on to herself as waiting for others TO retire be-
fore presenting r petition. She wore a thick veil
OUT as she sometimes had occasion to remove It.
could see that she was very handsome. When all
Others had gone up, been heard and had passed
out, she went forward. Mr. Usher the Secretary
OF the Interior, had, In the meantime come In: and
OF her voice, as she addressed the President. lie
neard her patiently for some time; she was prOba-
pay persistent In pressing her suit; and this caused
enough for US to hear, "No Emily. cannot do
that l cannot do that. IL would ruin me IL
would ruin me. But come again. will see II
can do something for you-
She then retired. He came forward to meet us
ana inquired II we knew that lady. We told him
we qua not. ne said: THAT is my wire's sister.
Her husband. Confederate general, was recently
Killed In battle, and she has come to ask OF ine the
privilege OF crossing the lines in order 10 purchase
cotton" It was apparent, from the circumstances
that she was not guest OF the White House.
MI Usher soon retired, when informed the
President that had called In obedience to his re-
neSsee lmbroglio. But he commenced talking OF
the events or the war. He said that half dozen
d Lungs haa troubled him during the day and he
good news from Sheridan, who had achieved a vic
tory In the Virginia valley. This event, OF which
He had much TO say about the South. being
North Car0ltnian, he never failed when met MIN
TO ask me about the state OF public sentiment
there. lie loved TO believe that there was strong
Union feeling among the Southern people, and es,
pecially among those OF North Carolina He had
stephens, of Georgia, with whom he ser xed
in Congress, from lS47 to 1s49. They were all
wings tnen, and ne cherished a very kind recol-
lectlOn OF them-repeated some OF Mr.. TOombs
stories, and mentioned the correspondence he had
had with Mr.. stephens, after the Presidential cleo
tlon, In 1850; and after the remarkable speech OF
that gentleman before the legislature OF Georgia
shorty after the war Mr.. Stephens published a
tac stnai!e OF this correspondence In his work on
the Constitution.
FLOWING AROUND IT.
at length said feared was taking up too
much OF his valuable Time and reminded him OF
the Tennessee affair. But he paid little attention
TO the interruption and continued to talk on about
the South. Will add that neither on this occa-
sion nor at other times, when had the honor of
conversing with Mr.. Lincoln, although the South
was the principal topic did be ever utter an un-
Kind sentiment about any southern man. When I
again reminded him Of the matter regarding Ten
nessee, ne said he had thought II over and had
come TO the conclusion to do rs Gov. Reynolds or
Illinois, did when he was farming In Saint clair
County. He found large, crooked. gnarled log in
wet piece OF ground, which would neither split
nor burn. He hesitated for several days as to
TO pillow around 1t. Acting on this principle three
days later, the President Informed the Tennessee
gentlemen that he could not interfere: that the
President OF the United states mad no authority
TO regulate elections In the states; and that the
most he could 40 was when called on, to inter-
Moreover, II vote were cast, 1t would not be Tor
him to decide whether II should be counted That
duty devolved on Congress.
It was, perhaps In the year 1862 that had &C.
CASTOR 70 cali on the President in Company with
the late Rev. VIM. H. ChanninR who al the time
was chaplain Of the stanton Hospital in this city.
and had some request 10 make In regard 10 that In.
Stitution. having disposed or the bus,ness the
President spoke tome In regard to public sentiment
In North Carolina, and expressed the BELIEF that
the people OF that state, who had given an over.
whelming majority against secession In February.
Sff1 StiH rQf n fpai In